Chapter 79
Seventy-Nine
Autumn laid on the floor as Emperor Izzo crouched over her with a frightening grin. He held her arms above her head with one hand as she kicked her legs furiously, trying to land a hit on him, but it was no use; he was too strong.
She was way out of her league. She’d never stood a chance against him, despite her attempts.
He laughed in her face, sharp yellow teeth glinting. “You’re a feisty one, aren’t you, Empress Autumn? I’m going to enjoy making you scream. Nobody lays a hand or foot on me and lives to tell the tale.”
In an instant, he took his elbow and crushed his limb against her left arm, causing the bone to snap. Her humerus cracked, still attached by dangling muscle and skin. Her scream echoed throughout the cabin as he pushed down harder and harder, digging his elbow in.
Dante tried once more to crawl over, but he couldn’t make the trip. He was too weak. He stopped, punching the ground.
“I hope you’re paying close attention, Emperor. I’m going to enjoy what happens next.”
Suddenly, she couldn’t move. Her body hovered inches above the floor. She twisted and tried to escape, but the Grand Supreme’s telepathic grasp was unfathomable, crushing her senses. Her broken arm throbbed. His forked tongue flickered against her lips and into her mouth, she gagged.
His long taloned nails ran over her stomach and her back, scraping against her bodysuit. A creepy sensation swept through her belly, and she gasped.
Autumn stared at Dante, her eyes bulging with terror. Finally, he managed to come to a stand, limping toward her one leg at a time, but his effort was in vain. Emperor Izzo laughed and suspended him telepathically in the air before thrusting him into a wall, leaving an indentation. He laid on the floor, trying to rise again but it was no use. He was too injured.
“Keep your filthy hands off of my wife, or I’ll—” His hands slid against the floor.
“Or you’ll what? What can you possibly do to stop me?”
He remained silent.
“That’s what I thought. Settle down, your turn will come soon enough.”
He shouted something else in his alien language that she couldn’t understand, and red lights began to flash throughout the ship. The vessel rocked and revved.
“In an hour’s time you’ll be blown to space dust and so will your entire race. I can survive in the darkness of space, but you cannot. After I claim your mate’s life, I’m heading straight to Surge to pay your family a long overdue visit. Ronan and Leyla are expecting me,” he licked his lips. “And then, I’ll embark on the long treacherous voyage to Earth. If only you had known your place and complied, none of this would’ve happened and you could’ve coexisted under my thumb.”
The energy hemorrhaged from her body in sparks and waves. Her limbs grew weak and heavy. Her mouth dried out and her senses slowed to a crawl. She closed her eyes as they rolled back in her head, unable to bear this situation any longer. Instead, she focused on the pull of her breath. She tried to imagine what her life could’ve been like if everything had gone right. Her baby’s smiling face, rosy cheeks, and bright eyes, being with the man she loved, helping others, and just being happy.
That’s all she ever wanted.
As she faded into the darkness, a warm wet splash interrupted her fantasy. She spit the salty fluid out of her mouth. When she opened her eyes, thick black blood dripped over her stomach and pooled along the floor. She glanced up to find that the Grand Supreme had a saber piercing clear through the scales of his throat. He choked and struggled to remove the weapon, talons scraping in vain as he spun around in circles.
Her dad stood behind him, inhaling and exhaling, face shifting bright red. Dante grinned from the floor.
With adrenaline crashing through her veins, she came to a shaking stand. Her left arm fell limp at her side. She winced, grabbing hold of it. The pain shattered through her.
She heard a whisper of breath flow through her mind.
“ Autumn, you must finish him off. There’s a chance he might regenerate .”
She frantically searched everywhere for her saber. She’d dropped her weapon during the struggle earlier.
She raced over to Dante. His handsome blue face was littered with purple bruises. His lip was busted and swollen. He could barely hold his head up. He pointed toward the weapon on the floor. She knelt and lifted her saber with her good hand and positioned it against her body.
Emperor Izzo fell against the wall choking on his own fluids, purple slit-eyes wide with terror. She hated to admit it, but something inside of her loved seeing him afraid. She held the weapon steady and focused.
“Here you go, Izzo. It’s your worst fear realized,” Dante’s voice was weak, his mouth curved. “Despite your tough talk, both you and I know there’s nothing you’re more afraid of than a human.”
Autumn charged as fast as she could, sliding the blade through his scaly muscular stomach. Upon impact, she closed her eyes and turned around, covering her face with her hand. She heard his heavy body slump to the ground, struggling and gasping. Finally, he stopped moving all together. All went quiet.
Her dad rushed up to her and gave her a big hug. She winced as he touched her broken arm. It hung limp at her side.
“Are you okay?” he asked, his eyes wavered beneath his silver frames.
“Yes, I think so.” The red lights continued to flash from the ceiling. They didn’t have much time. The ship wouldn’t last forever. She had to act fast.
She raced over to Dante, falling on her knees. She hugged him close.
“Come on, we have to get going,” she kissed him, and he blinked slowly, amber eyes glowing. “We don’t have a lot of time.”
“Little Moonlight, you’re hurt again and it’s all because of me. I hurt you both,” he brought his hand to her arm and then over her stomach, a tear rolled down his blue bruised cheek. “Here, let me help you.”
Dante pointed to the corner of the room where a blue sparkle caught her eyes. Autumn raced over and discovered two clear blue vials rolling against the wall. She bent over and picked them up, staring at them strangely in the palm of her hand.
“Drink this for yourself and for our child and give the other one to your father.”
“What is this?” She examined the containers.
“Instant rejuvenation from a friend I met along the way.”
She popped the cork top open with her teeth and drank the bubbling blue liquid. The droplets tasted sweet against her tongue. Her energy returned and the bone of her arm shifted, knitting itself back together. She moved and stretched, the pain subsiding instantly. At his request, she tossed the second bottle to her dad.
“What about you?”
“I only have two and you both need it more than I do,” his eyes closed.
“You and your father should get going. I’m just going to slow you down,” he turned his head to the side, and his face fell. “I don’t want to hurt you anymore. As long as we’re together, you’ll always be at risk.”
“No, I’m not going without you,” she rested her head on his chest, listening to his slow heartbeat. He ran his hand through the pigtail plaits of her braids catching his fingers in the loops. She brought her lips to his.
She sat up slowly, vision fogging. “Dad, you have to help me—it’s the only way we can get him out of here.”
Her dad hesitated before approaching them. He glowered at Dante, arms crossed. “I don’t understand any of this. You’ve created a real mess for everyone. You kidnapped my little girl. You have a lot of explaining to do. After this is over, you and I are going to have a long talk and things are going to change.”
Dante nodded slowly. “As you wish.”
She sighed, throwing her hands up in the air. “Dad, we don’t have time for this. The ship isn’t going to last much longer.”
She and her dad knelt, each taking one of Dante’s arms and wrapping them over their shoulders. They helped him to a shaking stand. As they walked, he limped with each step. He hung his head forward, perspiration beaded across his brow. He’d taken a beating much worse than she had.
When they went to pass through the doorway, Autumn stopped. Rage coursed through her as she looked at the dead tyrant. She reached and plucked the Grand Supreme’s hideous inhuman head straight from his broken neck.
Dante turned, eyes widening. Her dad watched her in silence.
“What on Earth do you intend to do with that?” Dante asked.
She ripped a piece of his white velvet cape, creating a sack. “I’m taking it as proof. Nobody will believe he’s dead.”
“How very savage of you.”
She shrugged. “I learned from the best.”
The blinking red light quickened, snapping her out of her triumphant moment. They had to get out of here. Time was running out.